JUSTICE FOR BISHOP GEORGE BELL OF CHICHESTER

DR RUTH HILDEBRANDT GRAYSON LETTER TO THE BISHOP OF CHICHESTER - PART 4

On behalf of the family of Franz Hildebrandt, and of relatives of another friend of Bishop Bell with whom I am in contact in Germany, I request a detailed reply to each of the above points. The longer it takes for the Diocesan authorities to agree to reopen the case and to allow both sides of the argument to be heard, the more it adds to the stress we are all experiencing. In the meantime, the Diocese is laying itself open to the accusation of defaming the character of a defenceless individual.

Yours sincerely

Dr Ruth Hildebrandt Grayson

cc Archbishop Justin Welby

ROBERT J COMMENT

"I was at the Prebendal School at the time and confirmed by George Bell. I am quite sure this is nonsense and the result of a panic by the Diocese of Chichester"

XYZ COMMENT 2

I reiterate that the Dean has overstepped the mark; on this point the Bishop can speak and indicate clearly that the Dean has misrepresented the the Church's position as set out in the October statement.

XYZ COMMENT 1

"In time we will acquire ways to continue to recognise the huge contribution which Bell made to the history of his time and his lasting legacy, and hold them alongside an acknowledgement of his serious wrongdoing. It will take time and patience"

(Source : Letter from the Dean of Chichester in the Cathedral Winter Newsletter)(Hat-Tip : Jill Armstead)

How do we know that he was guilty of serious wrongdoing and of the particular serious wrongdoing of which he is accused ? I thought the wording of the October statement was more tentative. It confined itself, as I recall (perhaps I'm wrong), to a judgement on the balance of probabilities. It said in effect : this is what we think most likely in view of the evidence and what we have to act on. It made no unqualified claim that Bell was guilty. The Dean, by contrast, appears to have no doubt about his guilt : and not merely appears to, but actually does, present Bell's guilt as a matter of fact. He oversteps the mark.

AD COMMENT

"Justice for one who fought so hard for justice for others"

~ Anthony D.

JA COMMENT

I think in a nutshell, an allegation was made against Bishop Bell, the Church authorities decided the allegation was true then set up an investigation charged with finding evidence to support its decision, then relied on the findings of the investigation to (with great sadness of course) trash his reputation and write him out of history. I have re-read the Dean's letter in the Cathedral Winter Newsletter: Oh the weasel words! "In time we will acquire ways to continue to recognise the huge contribution which Bell made to the history of his time and his lasting legacy, and hold them alongside an acknowledgement of his series wrongdoing. It will take time and patience."

~ Jill Armstead

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1189613294384705&id=100000081379450&comment_id=1190418944304140¬if_t=feed_comment¬if_id=1462775560445533

RWS COMMENT

For a chance of renaming 4 Canon Lane Chichester back to "George Bell House"

http://www.chichestercathedral.org.uk/visiting/_folder1/

please encourage others to sign this Justice for Bishop George Bell Petition:

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/justice-for-bishop-george-bell-of-chichester

Thank you.

Richard W. Symonds

THE STALINESQUE DISAPPEARANCE OF "GEORGE BELL HOUSE"

http://www.chichestercathedral.org.uk/visiting/_folder1/

EKM COMMENT

As both an admirer of George Bell, and someone deeply concerned with the way his "case", such as it is, has been handled so far, I would like to express my support for your campaign. I do not live in the UK (I am in Australia), but if there is anything that you can add my name to, please do not hesitate to do so.

Evan Kenneth Milner.
Wollongong, NSW. Australia.

KB COMMENT

I wish to add my name to the petition though I do not at present have a UK postal address. I am priest-in-charge of the English-speaking Congregation, All Saints' Cathedral, Cairo, Egypt.

Thank you.

Kerry Buttram

PCL COMMENT

I read regularly the blog of Peter Hitchens and so I became aware of what seems to be a gross injustice done to the memory of a great man, Bishop Bell. I think it is a growing problem in the world today the mentality that figures of authority are suspected as abusers by default. Husbands are automatically labelled as wife beaters, parents as child abusers, priests as pedophiles and so on. I want my name added on the list of signatures in the petition for justice for George Bell.

~ Petre Cătălin Logofătu, Romania.

RWS COMMENT 2

Personally, I have little doubt 70-yr-old 'Carol' was sexually molested by a 'Man of the Cloth' in Chichester when she was five (confirming Goddard's findings).

What I have grave doubt about is that it was Bishop Bell. In other words, it's a case of mistaken identity....and that mistaken identity is causing a gross miscarriage of justice.

RWS COMMENT 1

The Goddard Inquiry is likely to confirm sexual abuse took place in the Diocese of Chichester and beyond; the likes of Peter Ball may well be the tip of an iceberg. The tabloid media are likely to parallel Boston with Chichester, probably using the film "Spotlight" as its touchstone (UK release May 23).

Bishop Bell' s case will be the exception which doesn't fit the tabloid attack against the Church (Church of England and Catholic alike).

My guess is the mainstream media will simply ignore this exception or provide confused/confusing coverage, believing - rightly or wrongly - their readers/viewers/listeners are unable to make such subtle (or unsubtle) distinctions...and if a serious attempt is made it will damage circulation/audience figures, sales, profit etc.

"KY" COMMENT 6

http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2016/05/a-good-new-independent-account-of-the-george-bell-controversy.html

“The result,” as an editorial in the Church Times observed on 4 December 2015, “is that Bell now rests uneasily in some sort of moral limbo.”‘

Thinking about this whole affair, I have come to think that it is not Bishop Bell but the Church who rests uneasily in some sort of moral limbo.

I may be wrong but I assume that the leaders of the Church are not as unanimous on this issue as they seem to be.

"KY" COMMENT 5

http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2016/05/a-good-new-independent-account-of-the-george-bell-controversy.html

Andrew Chandler, a historian and biographer, describes Bishop George Bell as ‘… this striking bishop of the Church of England’ in his latest book. I think “striking” is indeed the right word to portrait Bishop Bell.

Chandler also writes in Preface about the statement of the Church on 22 Oct 2015;

‘… while a contemporary history of the controversy provoked by this statement is becoming feasible – for there are public articles and letters appearing in the British press by the week – no consideration of the substance of the allegation itself is possible.

Quite simply, whatever materials exist remain secret.